Through the back door, into the living room, onto the tattered tweedlike sofa. It all seemed like one big stumble that ended with lock shut eyes and a lifeless body.

And like that, it was over. Sierra was standing over me with the most horrified look in her eyes. Like I was really dead. My eyes still felt tired though. I looked around me and it was still dark. My eyes took a moment to adjust. I looked around me and saw the living room. Not the way I did when I went to sleep. Sierra’s semi-organized piles were strewn all over the floor. Her things broken and fragmented and everywhere. My stomach dropped.

“Gerard?” Sierra’s voice cracked the silence of the night.

I looked towards her. She couldn’t believe this was real. She couldn’t believe I had done this.

“Sierra. I’m sorry,” I began.

“How did this happen?” her voice was now high and breathy and I felt like she might hit me.

“I can explain,” I tried again.

“Please,” Sierra took a seat next to me on the couch. Her spine rigid and her posture unnaturally perfect, showing her sheer discomfort.

I took a deep breath that I wish she could have taken with me. She looked like she was in desperate need of one. “I have nightmares sometimes.”

Sierra blinked nervously.

“I can get a little violent,” I gulped. “Did I hurt you?”

Sierra eyes went even wider, “No! Do you usually hurt people?”

My shoulders bent in, “Um, I have before.”

“Why? Why do you do this?”

“Sierra, I can’t control it. It just happens when I sleep. I couldn’t let my parents know that I do it though. I had to come over here.”

“Oh, and put me and my things in danger?” She took the turn from shocked to angry. The turn I was hoping she would make.

“I’m sorry. But I really really can’t let them find out,” I pursed my lips.

“Why?”

“Cause,” I made the sudden decision. “They’ll try and medicate me for it.”

There was a moment of silence where Sierra was obviously letting it sink in. She blinked a couple times. I was scared she might want to know more.

“When did this start?”

“At the… school in upstate. You know, the one I just got home from,” I felt at my hair again. Smoothing it down against my head.

“What now?” she asked me.

“I’ll clean it up. Don’t worry,” I reached over and patted her knee. She didn’t seem to believe me though. “Sierra. I’m sorry. I was desperate. It won’t happen again.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. It was so scary. You were so angry.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“What did you dream of?”

I gave a little sigh, “That’s the thing. I don’t always remember. I was really tired tonight so who knows.”

Sierra still seemed shook up.

“Go back to sleep. I’ll clean up before work,” I tried to assure her.

She still seemed reclusive, but got up and went back to her room.

I looked around and rubbed my hair back down, thinking how I got into this literal mess.